Using the best film scanner is the quickest and easiest way to digitize your film photos. You might have a dusty archive of old film negatives you want to reorganize digitally. Or maybe you’re riding the wave of popularity of film photography.
But whether you’re old or young, a film scanner is a must-have item for analog photographers. And the Plustek OpticFilm 8300i SE is the best film scanner around.
Its 7200 DPI scan resolution gives you breathtaking digital representations of your images. It brings out more dynamic range in your images. And the infrared feature identifies and removes scratches and dust marks. It also scans faster than any Plustek before it, which makes it the best choice for digital film scanning.
What Is the Best Film Scanner?
In the old days, you would develop your film in a photography shop. They’d then provide you with the developed negatives and the prints of your photos. And if you wanted to digitize them, you’d have to scan the photo prints.
Film photographers have realized this isn’t the most efficient or cost-effective system. A film scanner streamlines the digitization process. These film scanners generate digital images by scanning the negatives. That means you don’t need to print them before you scan them.
This saves money on printing costs. And it means you can scan the negatives instead of the printed photos. Also, a film scanner gives you more creative control over the final digital image.
If you have a backlog of printed photos that need scanning, look at our list of the best photo scanners. They still give you the best results when scanning prints. But to streamline your film-to-digital process, keep reading to find the best film scanner.
Here’s a rundown of our list of best film scanners. Keep reading to see each film scanner in detail. You can skip to the FAQ section for more information on film scanners.
- Scanning resolutions from 600 dpi up to 7200 dpi
- Around 69 MP from a single 35mm frame
- SilverFast SE Plus 9 software included
- Scans color negatives, black and white negatives, slides and reversal film
- USB connection for easy connectivity
7 Best Film Scanners
Two questions sort this list. First, do you need a computer-free workflow? The Kodak Slide N Scan, the Kodak SCANZA, the Magnasonic, and the ClearClick Virtuoso 2.0 all have their own screen and card slot, so you can scan straight to an SD card with nothing else plugged in. The three Plustek OpticFilm scanners cannot, and they need SilverFast installed before they do anything.
Second, how good do the files need to be? The Plusteks scan at 7200 DPI with an infrared channel that finds dust and scratches for the software to remove. The all-in-one scanners top out between 22 MP and 24 MP with no dust removal at all. That gap is the whole reason to put up with the cables. If you are digitizing a shoebox to look at on a phone, the cheaper scanners are enough. If you want prints or edits from the files, buy a Plustek.
Film photography is all the rage right now. Photographers are dusting off their old SLR cameras and shooting roll after roll of 35mm film. The film vs digital debate is hotter than ever.
But in my opinion, there’s nothing quite like a film photo. And the best way to take control of your film photography results is to get a film scanner. So, here’s our full detailed list so you can find the best film scanner to maximize your film photography.
1. Plustek OpticFilm 8300i SE Scanner
| Brand |
Brand
Plustek
|
| Scanner Type |
Scanner Type
Negative Scanner
|
| Dimensions |
Dimensions
4.7 x 10.7 x 4.7 inches / 12 x 27.2 x 11.9 cm
|
| Supported Film Types |
Supported Film Types
35mm negatives, 35mm slide positives
|
| Max Scan Resolution |
Max Scan Resolution
7200 DPI
|
| Other Key Features |
Other Key Features
SilverFast SE Plus 9, built-in infrared dust and scratch removal, up to 38% faster than the 8200i
|
| Best For |
Best For
Scanning whole rolls of 35mm film
|
The Plustek OpticFilm 8300i SE is the best film scanner you can buy today. It’s a dedicated negative scanner, so it won’t take prints. But it scans 35mm color negatives, black-and-white negatives, and mounted slides at Plustek’s full optical resolution.
That resolution is 7200 DPI, which turns a single 35mm frame into a file of up to 68.9 MP. The dynamic range is rated at 3.6 D, so deep shadows and bright highlights keep their detail instead of blocking up. And the 48-bit color input gives you smoother tonal transitions than any of the all-in-one scanners further down this list.
Its advantage over the older OpticFilm 8200i SE is speed. Plustek rates it as up to 38% faster, which is the difference between an evening and a weekend when you have a shoebox of rolls to work through. It ships with SilverFast SE Plus 9 and Plustek QuickScan Plus. And the built-in infrared channel spots dust and scratches on the negative so the software can paint them out.
The trade-offs are the ones every dedicated scanner makes. It takes 35mm only, so medium format and prints are both out. It connects over USB 2.0 and needs a computer, so there is no standalone screen to review scans on. And a full-resolution scan with infrared cleanup runs to around 120 seconds a frame, so a 36-exposure roll is still over an hour of work. If you shoot medium format, or you only scan a handful of frames a month, buy further down this list.
2. Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE Scanner
| Brand |
Brand
Plustek
|
| Scanner Type |
Scanner Type
Negative Scanner
|
| Dimensions |
Dimensions
4.7 x 10.7 x 4.7 inches / 12 x 27.2 x 12 cm
|
| Supported Film Types |
Supported Film Types
35mm negatives, 35mm slide positives
|
| Max Scan Resolution |
Max Scan Resolution
7200 DPI
|
| Other Key Features |
Other Key Features
Dust and scratch removal, advanced companion software, 48-bit color output
|
| Best For |
Best For
All film photographers
|
The Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE is the scanner the 8300i SE replaced at the top of Plustek’s range, and it is still on sale. It’s a dedicated negative scanner. That means you can’t scan prints. But you can scan 35mm color and black-and-white negatives. Plus, you can scan 35mm slide film.
The results are fantastic. And the companion Silverfast software gives you more control over the digital version.
The OpticFilm 8200i SE gives you beautiful digital renditions of your film photos. You can scan the negatives with a maximum resolution of 7200 DPI. This is equivalent to 69 MP digital images. That’s the image quality you expect from the best full-frame mirrorless cameras.
The level of detail is incredible. And you get much more than if you take the film straight to the printing shop.
This is the best scanner for scanning old or damaged negatives. The infrared scan feature identifies and highlights scratches and dust spots. You can then use the software to remove them.
You’re left with an image that’s as good as new. That’s why the Plustek OpticFilm 8200i SE is still the scanner we recommend for anyone digitizing an old archive on a budget.
It gives up nothing in image quality to the 8300i SE. The optics, the 7200 DPI resolution, and the infrared channel are the same, so the only thing you lose is scan speed. If you scan a roll at a time rather than an archive at a time, that is not worth paying more for, and this is the one to buy. Only step up to the 8300i SE if scanning time is what stops you shooting more film.
SilverFast SE Plus 9 software comes with this scanner. And it’s another tool you can use to maximize your film photography results. You can adjust exposure to reveal more shadow detail. You can adjust the dynamic range settings to bring out more from lighter and darker areas of your image.
You can also tweak the color rendition and color temperature. And it gives you a histogram for detailed photo adjustments.
Editing film photos is becoming more popular. We recommend Adobe Lightroom or Capture One if you want to take your film photo editing further. These are two advanced editing programs that give you complete creative control.
3. Plustek OpticFilm 8100
| Brand |
Brand
Plustek
|
| Scanner Type |
Scanner Type
Negative Scanner
|
| Dimensions |
Dimensions
4.7 x 10.7 x 4.7 inches / 12 x 27 x 12
|
| Supported Film Types |
Supported Film Types
35mm negative and slide film
|
| Max Scan Resolution |
Max Scan Resolution
7200 DPI
|
| Other Key Features |
Other Key Features
Silverfast companion software, built-in ICC profile, HDR enhancement
|
| Best For |
Best For
Pro-level negative scanning
|
The Plustek OpticFilm 8100 is a fantastic scanner for film negatives. It’s an older version of the OpticFilm 8200i SE. That means it lacks a couple of advanced features. But it still gives you digital images of outstanding quality. It’s the best film scanner for photographers still shooting film.
With a max scanning resolution of 7200 DPI, you get digital images far beyond your expectations. You won’t achieve this level of image quality by scanning prints. The digital images are equivalent to photos taken with a 69 MP high-resolution camera.
With a dynamic range setting up to 3.6 D, it brings out details in all areas of the photo. You can create printed enlargements up to 36 x 24 inches (91 x 61 cm).
The main feature the OpticFilm 8100 lacks is photo restoration. That’s why this is a better option for photographers developing newly shot rolls of film. But the built-in ICC profile helps bring out the best of slide film. It has profiles for specific slide films, including the iconic Kodachrome.
The scanner comes with two film holders. These protect your negatives during scanning. There’s no physical contact with the negative during the scanning process, meaning no scratches or smudges.
The SilverFast SE Plus 9 software comes with this scanner, too. It lets you enhance the images without losing their film-photo qualities. The Plustek OpticFilm 8100 is a perfect film scanner for enthusiastic film photographers.
4. Kodak Slide N Scan Film and Slide Scanner
| Brand |
Brand
KODAK
|
| Scanner Type |
Scanner Type
Negative Scanner: Dimensions: 5.3 x 5.4 x 3.7 inches / 13.5 x 13.7 x 9.4 cm
|
| Supported Film Types |
Supported Film Types
35mm negatives and slides, medium format negatives
|
| Max Scan Resolution |
Max Scan Resolution
22 MP
|
| Other Key Features |
Other Key Features
5-inch display, SD card compatible, USB-C connection
|
| Best For |
Best For
Casual film shooters and tech-shy users
|
The Kodak Slide N Scan is a simple yet effective film scanner. It’s a basic model compared to the previous scanners. But it still gives you fantastic digital images from your film negatives. It offers a fast and affordable way of digitizing your film photos.
The Slide N Scan is easy to use. You don’t need to mess around with lots of cables and software. You don’t even need to connect it to a computer. Of course, you can connect the scanner to a computer using a USB cable. But you can also transfer the images directly to a memory card.
You also have a large LCD on the scanner. This display lets you see the scan before you transfer it to another device.
It’s also easy to load and scan the film strips. And it scans color and black-and-white film. If that’s your thing, check out our favorite black-and-white film article. Thanks to the film adaptor, this scanner also accepts medium-format negatives.
The Kodak scanner gives you 22 MP images. While this isn’t as high-res as the previous scanners, the images are still bright, detailed, and vibrant. That resolution is similar to an entry-level DSLR or mirrorless camera. If 22 MP is more than you need, you can scan them at 13 MP.
The built-in editing options give you good creative control. The functions are basic. But you can make adjustments to brightness and color. The Kodak Slide N Scan is a simple and affordable film scanner. It’s easy to use. But it still gives you fantastic digital images from your film photos.
5. Magnasonic All-in-One 24 MP Film Scanner
| Brand |
Brand
Magnasonic
|
| Scanner Type |
Scanner Type
Negative Scanner
|
| Dimensions |
Dimensions
5.4 x 4.4 x 5 inches / 13.7 x 11.2 x 12.7 cm
|
| Supported Film Types |
Supported Film Types
35mm negative and slide film
|
| Max Scan Resolution |
Max Scan Resolution
24 MP
|
| Other Key Features |
Other Key Features
5-inch LCD, SD card slot, USB-C connection
|
| Best For |
Best For
Digitizing old negatives
|
The Magnasonic All-in-One is another easy-to-use film scanner. It has simple controls and a large LCD display. You can use it with or without a computer. And it transforms old negatives into bright and vibrant digital images.
It’s also the most affordable film scanner on our list. And it couldn’t be easier to use.
You feed the negative strip into the scanner. It then displays the image on the five-inch LCD screen, letting you review it first. You can then transfer the images to a computer using the USB cable. Or you can put the files onto an SD card using the built-in card reader.
The digital images look fantastic. They have a 24 MP image resolution, which is sharp and well-rendered.
This resolution is similar to a camera like the Canon EOS Rebel T8i. That’s one of the best Canon cameras for beginners. This standard of quality lets you print and enlarge your favorite images.
The HDMI connection lets you view your film photos on a bigger scale. You can connect the scanner to a monitor or TV with an HDMI cable. The images appear on the screen as you scan them.
It’s a great way to celebrate and share your photos with friends. And it gives you a more detailed view of each shot. The Magnasonic All-in-One is a fantastic film scanner for the price.
What you give up is dust and scratch removal, which none of the all-in-one scanners have. It also takes 35mm only, so medium format is out. Skip it if your negatives are old and dirty, because you will spend longer retouching each frame than the scanner saved you.
6. Kodak SCANZA Digital Film & Slide Scanner
| Brand |
Brand
KODAK
|
| Scanner Type |
Scanner Type
Negative Scanner
|
| Dimensions |
Dimensions
4.7 x 4.7 x 5 inches / 12 x 12 x 12.7 cm
|
| Supported Film Types |
Supported Film Types
35mm negative and slide, medium format negatives, Super 8
|
| Max Scan Resolution |
Max Scan Resolution
22 MP
|
| Other Key Features |
Other Key Features
3.5-inch LCD screen, HDMI output, SD card reader
|
| Best For |
Best For
Scanning negatives without a computer
|
Kodak SCANZA is a compact negative scanner that produces excellent digital images. It’s easy to use with simple controls and a bright LCD. It supports a wide range of film types. It takes 35mm, medium format (120mm), and even Super 8 reel. It’s also a reasonable price for a good-quality film scanner.
The scanning time is excellent. So, you can digitize a roll in no time. And you get fantastic results. The JPEG images have a 22 MP resolution. And you get vivid colors and sharp details even from older film rolls. You can also scan them at 14 MP if you want a smaller file size.
The scanner has a built-in SD card reader. This lets you save digitized photos without a computer. But you can transfer straight to a computer using a USB-C cable.
You can also display the images on monitors using the HDMI connection. The Kodak SCANZA offers excellent value for good-quality film scanning.
It is the older of the two Kodak scanners here, and it shows in the screen: 3.5 inches against the Slide N Scan’s 5 inches, which makes checking focus harder. Buy it if the wider film support matters to you. If it does not, the Slide N Scan is the easier machine to live with.
7. ClearClick Virtuoso 2.0 Film & Slide Scanner
| Brand |
Brand
ClearClick
|
| Scanner Type |
Scanner Type
Negative Scanner
|
| Dimensions |
Dimensions
5.3 x 5 x 3.7 inches / 13.5 x 12.7 x 9.4 cm
|
| Supported Film Types |
Supported Film Types
35mm negatives and slides
|
| Max Scan Resolution |
Max Scan Resolution
22 MP
|
| Other Key Features |
Other Key Features
5-inch LCD, HDMI output
|
| Best For |
Best For
Film photographers looking for a basic film scanner
|
The ClearClick Virtuoso 2.0 is our pick for a basic film scanner option. While it is basic for features, the quality is still fantastic. It accepts 35mm negatives and slide film. And you don’t need to install any software or drivers. The handy LCD screen also lets you see the image before scanning it.
When you do scan, it gives you images equivalent to 22 MP. They’re brightly colored and well-detailed. Even old and damaged negatives are transformed into vibrant digital images. And it works well with color and black-and-white negatives.
There’s an SD card reader built in. You can scan straight onto the memory card without using a computer. And the mini HDMI connection lets you view the images on larger monitors.
The ClearClick Virtuoso 2.0 isn’t flash or fancy. But it’s a great film scanner if you want something basic.
FAQs About Film Scanners
Film scanners can be a technical topic. But we’ve answered some frequently asked questions to help you find the best film scanner.
Why Do I Need a Film Scanner?
Using a film scanner is one of the best ways to digitize your film photos. You can create digital copies of your photos without printing them. It takes a step out of the traditional process of photo development.
You don’t need to have the photos printed in a photo store. Instead, you can have the negatives developed and scan the images at home.
Scanning film at home also helps you save a lot in the long run. The initial purchase of a negative scanner will set you back a few dollars. But it will still work out cheap when you don’t have to spend so much having every roll scanned and printed in the store.
Of course, you can still print your favorites. And we have a full list of the best photo printers if you want to print. But you don’t need to print every shot on the roll. This saves you time and money. And film photographers know that using film can get expensive.
Using a film scanner is also useful for restoring old photos. The Plustek OpticFilm 8300i SE and 8200i SE both have an infrared channel that finds scratches and dust spots, and their SilverFast software paints them out. Film scanners can revitalize your old photo albums.
Which Is Better? The Best Flatbed or the Best Negative Film Scanner?
There are two types of film scanners to choose from. You have negative scanners that only scan film negatives and slides. And you have flatbed scanners.
Flatbed scanners are the more traditional type of scanner where you lay the photos down on a glass panel and close the lid. These are great for digitizing printed photos. But only some models have the holders and features to scan negatives.
The benefit of a flatbed is that you can also scan printed photos. Flatbed scanners are a good choice if you already have a mountain of paper photos.
That choice has narrowed a lot. Epson has stopped making its Perfection flatbeds, and Canon now sells only its LiDE flatbeds, which scan prints but have no film holders. So there is no flatbed on this list anymore. Every scanner on it scans negatives and slides only. If prints are what you need to digitize, read our full article on the best photo scanners instead.
What Is Scan Resolution?
Scan resolution determines the quality of the scanned image. Some scanners define the resolution with a dots-per-inch (DPI) measurement. The higher the DPI, the better the image quality.
Other scanners define the quality by stating the equivalent megapixels. As with the Kodak Slide N Scan, it states the images are equivalent to photos taken with a 22 MP digital camera. That lets you know the level of image quality you can expect in the final image.
What Is the Maximum Scan Resolution for a Film Scanner?
The Plustek scanners share the honors. The OpticFilm 8300i SE, the 8200i SE, and the 8100 all scan images at 7200 DPI. That gives you a file of around 69 MP from a single 35mm frame, which is more resolution than the negative itself holds on most films.
The all-in-one scanners state their quality in megapixels instead. The Magnasonic tops that group at 24 MP, with the Kodak Slide N Scan, the Kodak SCANZA, and the ClearClick Virtuoso 2.0 all at 22 MP.
Do You Need a Computer to Use a Film Scanner?
It depends which type you buy. The Plustek OpticFilm scanners all need a computer or laptop, which means installing the software and drivers first. That is more setup. But the companion software is also what gives you the exposure, dynamic range, and dust-removal control the cheaper scanners cannot match. You connect the scanner and the computer using a USB cable.
The scanners with a built-in LCD screen work with or without a computer. They have a built-in card reader. You can save the images to the SD card without a computer.
Some can also be connected to monitors for enlarged viewing using HDMI connections. But you can also use these scanners with a computer if you prefer. All you need is a USB cable. All the scanners on our list are compatible with Windows and Mac computers.
Which Software Is Best for Scanning Film?
Using good software when scanning and digitizing your photos can make a huge difference to the results. That’s why it’s worth finding the best one for your equipment. Many of the film scanners on our list come with companion software.
In the case of the Plustek OpticFilm scanners, you get SilverFast film scanning software. It’s the SE Plus 9 version when you buy the OpticFilm 8300i SE or the 8200i SE. It gives you a healthy range of tools to help you make the most of your film photos.
These include exposure and dynamic range adjustment tools. It can remove scratches and blemishes. And you can change the colors if you’re using color-negative film. The interface also gives you a useful histogram for more precise photo editing.
The all-in-one scanners have on-board editing instead. The Kodak and Magnasonic models let you adjust brightness and color on their own screens before you save the file, but that is basic compared to the best photo editing programs.
Adobe Lightroom is the obvious choice for a photo editor. It holds a well-deserved position at the top among photographers. And it’s a great tool for editing scanned images from negatives.
But it would be best if you also considered VueScan. It’s a specialist software for editing and adjusting images from film scanners. It has a full and comprehensive toolset. And it’s popular with professional individuals and institutions.
Check out our VueScan vs SilverFast comparison review to determine which scanning software is best for you.
Conclusion: The Best Film Scanner
A film scanner is an excellent way to streamline your film photography workflow. And they’re a fantastic tool for digitizing your old photo library. They are the bridge between analog and digital. And they’ve become essential for anyone with an enthusiasm for film photography.
The Plustek OpticFilm 8300i SE is the best film scanner right now. The scan quality is excellent and gives you high-resolution digital images. It can remove scratches and dust spots from old negatives. And the companion software gives you brilliant creative control.
If the 8300i SE is more scanner than you need, the 8200i SE gives you identical image quality for less, and the Kodak Slide N Scan gets a shoebox of negatives onto an SD card without a computer at all. Whichever you pick, scan one roll at your scanner’s full resolution before you commit to the rest, so you know what your files will look like. And note that neither Epson nor Canon still makes a flatbed with film holders, so if you also have printed photos to digitize, that is a second machine from our best photo scanners list.
